patients and methods five hundred and sixteen serum samples of the patients undergoing hemodialysis and kidney transplantation from various cities of khuzestan province were collected. anti-hepatitis g e2 antibodies were investigated by elisa method. rnas were extracted from serums and hepatitis g rna was detected by rt-pcr. results of the 516 samples, 38 (7.36%) specimens were positive for ant...

The structural proteins of rubella virus (RV) are translated as a large polyprotein precursor, p110, which is processed to produce the mature virion components, the 33K capsid protein (C) and the two envelope glycoproteins, E1 (58K) and E2 (42K to 47K). The precise processing mechanism has not been elucidated; however it must include at least two proteolytic cleavages to release the individual ...

To study the effect of genetic immunization on transgenic expression of hepatitis C virus (HCV) proteins, we evaluated the immunological response of HCV transgenic mice to HCV expression plasmids. FVB/n transgenic mice expressing HCV structural proteins (core, E1, and E2) and wild-type (WT) FVB/n mice were immunized intramuscularly with plasmids expressing core (pHCVcore) or core/E1/E2 (pHCVSt)...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major health problem. However, the mechanism of hepatocyte infection is largely unknown. We demonstrate that the dendritic cell (DC)-specific C-type lectin DC-SIGN and its liver-expressed homologue L-SIGN/DC-SIGNR are important receptors for HCV envelope glycoproteins E1 and E2. Mutagenesis analyses demonstrated that both HCV E1 and E2 bind the same binding site on ...

Hepatitis G virus/GB virus-C (HGV/GBV-C) is a newly identified Flavivirus. Its clinical significance in chronic hepatitis B and C remains controversial. Infection with HGV/GBV-C was surveyed in 500 blood donors, 130 patients with chronic hepatitis B and 173 with hepatitis C, with chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and/or hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HGV/GBV-C RNA was detected by reverse trans...

Polyacrylamide gel analysis of the structural proteins of African and Asian strains of Chikungunya virus, an alphavirus, showed that both strains contain three structural proteins: glycosylated E1 and E2, embedded in the viral envelope, and a nonglycosylated nucleocapsid protein. In pulse-chase experiments the precursor protein PE2 was chased into glycoprotein E2, which migrated slightly faster...

The antibody response plays a crucial role against hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, and our understanding of this intricate progress in vivo is far from complete. We previously reported a novel and robust technique based on a large combinatorial viral antigen library displayed on the surface of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, allowing comprehensive profiling of polyclonal antibody respons...

We have generated replication-competent (VSV-C/E1/E2) and nonpropagating (VSVDeltaG-C/E1/E2) vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) contiguously expressing the structural proteins of hepatitis C virus (HCV; core [C] and glycoproteins E1 and E2) and report on their immunogenicity in murine models. VSV-C/E1/E2 and VSVDeltaG-C/E1/E2 expressed high levels of HCV C, E1, and E2, which were authentically po...

The definitive identification of the hepatitis C genome in 1989 resulted in confirmation that this virus is a worldwide health problem.(1) The hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease and is one of the principal indications for liver transplantation. It is estimated that about four million Americans harbor hepatitis C antibodies. The virus is present in ...